Liberal Club members’ fury over expulsion

Expelled Skegness Liberal Social Club members Steve Woodward and Andy Powley.

Published:13:05Wednesday 16 December 2015

Share this article

Four long-standing members of Skegness Liberal and Social Club will not be celebrating New Year at the venue with friends after being told they are not welcome, in spite of a civil court injunction stating previous action to kick three of them out was ‘void’.

Andy Powley, Steve Woodward, Brendan Connelly and Kevin Law say they will also miss the Christmas activities they have enjoyed with family and friends for more than 20 years between them.

Mr Powley and Mr Connelly first contacted the Skegness Standard in October, after they and Mr Woodward won the right to return to the club, following a three-day hearing before Judge Owen QC at Lincoln County Court.

Members say they were barred after expressing ‘concerns about the management committee’. The injunction stated the decision to suspend Mr Powley and Mr Connelly on July 13, 2014, and expel Mr Woodward on May 22, 2014, was ‘void’.

Mr Powley said: “We had expressed concerns about how the club was being run. After the court case in which we were granted an injunction, we had three good weekends in the club drinking, socialising and enjoying the activities, like the other members.

“The following weekend on arriving at the club we were told by the doorman politely ‘I’m sorry Andy, but I’ve been told not to let you in’. I asked ‘for what reason?’ and ‘by whom?’ He replied ‘sorry but it’s the committee’ and we were told we had had been expelled.

“The secretary (Malc Mitchell) spoke with us and explained that we were out and expelled. We asked why? He stated we have sent you three letters.”

However there is a dispute about the letters being receiced. Mr Connelly told the Skegness Standard he was the only member to receive a notice of expulsion from the committee, which stated: “At a meeting on 18/10/2015 it was discussed that your membership be terminated and you be expelled.” He said he was invited to attended a committee meeting to submit his defence.

Mr Powley said: “Over the Christmas period I will miss the competition and games that happen over the festive period. Also I have relatives coming to visit who usually use the club with me and have made friends with other members.”

Mr Connelly said: “I usually visit Skegness for the New Year celebrations, which we will miss dearly. It was always nice to see the new year in with good friends.”

The Skegness Standard spoke to Mr Mitchell inviting him to comment but he declined.